Scientists have created the world's first 3D-printed heart

3D-printed heart.
(Image credit: Oded Balilty/ AP Photo)

Thanks to the wonder of 3D printing, scientists have managed to create a real, working heart — out of a patient's own cells.

The heart measures about 2.5 centimeters long, which is around "the size of a rabbit's heart," Bloomberg reports. Although it's certainly too small to function as a human heart, it was printed using an ink made from a patient's biological materials, meaning it's an exact match for the patient in question.

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Shivani is the editorial assistant at TheWeek.com and has previously written for StreetEasy and Mic.com. A graduate of the physics and journalism departments at NYU, Shivani currently lives in Brooklyn and spends free time cooking, watching TV, and taking too many selfies.